


Lighter

by graveExcitement (arachnids)



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Gen, Genderqueer, Genderqueer Character, Pyromania
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-06
Updated: 2013-03-06
Packaged: 2017-12-04 10:36:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/709808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arachnids/pseuds/graveExcitement
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nonbinary Pyro. Written for the <a href="http://gqff.livejournal.com/1041.html">2013 Genderqueer Fanworks Fest.</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	Lighter

Flick.

The small, dancing flame produced by a cigarette lighter did not particularly impress the pyromaniac currently employed by Reliable Excavation and Demolition, or RED. Ze had seen bonfires, forest fires, whole towns lit alight, felt searing heat on zir face, tongues of fire wrapped around zir arm... This did not compare. This did not compare to the flamethrower ze was paid for using on a daily basis.

But. Through dark lenses ze could see the tantalizing wooden walls, the planks that served as floors throughout RED base. This mundane little flame... it could torch the place, given the right fuel.

With gloved fingers, Pyro held the lighter up to the wall. Ze absolutely _loved_ wooden buildings, but they were somewhat rare. Ze didn't often have the opportunity to torch them.

And ze didn't have the opportunity to torch this one, either! Ze flicked off the flame and flopped back on zir bed, pouting. Ze was sure the base would light up perfectly... ze could see flames rising up in zir mind's eye, a beast of fire overcoming the base... but RED would not be happy if ze set the base on fire, and ze was not interested in angering them. Not just because of the consequences that would follow, but also because this job was a thousand times better than any other job ze had ever managed to hold.

Working for RED had allowed for anonymity beyond zir wildest dreams. Ze had seen Medic's files on zir once, and had been very satisfied at what ze saw:

Class: Pyro  
Name: Unknown  
Gender: Unknown  
Race: Unknown  
Nationality: Unknown  
Existing conditions: Pyromania ( _To state the obvious_ , Medic had scrawled.)

Here ze was simply known as Pyro, and no one, not even Medic, could see what was beneath the flame-retardant suit ze wore both on and off the battlefield. Here ze was paid to set RED's enemies aflame! And oh, the BLUs were so satisfying to burn, even if they did respawn and come back.

Ze was convinced that this was the best possible job in the world, even though there were annoyances, like Spies, and zir teammates sometimes, and not getting the chance to commit arson. If only BLU base was wooden, too! RED would surely let zir torch _BLU_ base. But BLU base was all concrete and steel - it would never produce such a magnificent burn as RED base would.

Pyro picked up zir lighter again and flicked it on, gazing at the dancing flame. It was small, sure, but it had great potential. Ze held it up to zir mask, knowing that only zir flamesuit and gas mask protected zir from the heat.

Such a small flame wasn't impressive, but it was beautiful, and warm, and mesmerizing. Slowly, eyes locked on the flame, Pyro drew the lighter closer and closer to the wall.

Gender: Unknown. Only here could ze remain unknown, neutral, neither, and that was the only thought that kept Pyro from touching flame to wood.


End file.
